Awards: Charlemagne Prize for Draghi – “Achieved great things for Europe” | EUROtoday

The former President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, will probably be awarded the Charlemagne Prize 2026 for his historic contributions to European unification. The Charlemagne Prize Directorate defined its resolution by honoring the previous Italian head of presidency as a character “who achieved great things for Europe in a targeted manner and with unshakable determination.”

The International Charlemagne Prize in Aachen is taken into account a very powerful award for companies to European unification. It is historically awarded on Ascension Day, this yr on May 14th.

The message from Aachen: “Overcome the small-small”

“Mario Draghi saved the euro as president of the central bank – almost single-handedly when it was on the brink,” mentioned the chairman of the Charlemagne Prize Directorate, Armin Laschet (CDU), to the German Press Agency. Draghi mentioned in 2012 on the peak of the euro disaster that the ECB would do “whatever it takes” to safe the widespread forex. “His saying “Whatever it takes” applies in the present day greater than ever,” mentioned Laschet. Draghi is due to this fact, along with his historic achievements, additionally extremely topical.

With his Draghi report on Europe’s competitiveness, he offered precisely the advice for motion that Europe now must strengthen its competitiveness. Because if Europe does not wish to develop into the plaything of different powers, it needs to be economically sturdy – all the pieces else is dependent upon that. “That’s why “Whatever it takes” must be a guiding motto for the Commission in the present day,” defined Laschet. The message of the Charlemagne Prize Directorate is: “Overcome the small-small. Implement what Mario Draghi called for in his report.”

Draghi sees Europe threatened by inside and exterior enemies

The 78-year-old Draghi mentioned he was “extremely grateful” for the dignity in a video message. “This decision comes at a time when Europe has many enemies – perhaps more enemies than ever, both internal and external enemies,” he mentioned. In order to protect the European Union, Europeans should stand nearer collectively than ever, he warned. “We must overcome our self-inflicted weaknesses. And we must become stronger: militarily, economically and politically.”

The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst (CDU), known as Draghi an impressive European and worthy winner. As ECB President and Italian Prime Minister, Draghi stood for accountability, cohesion and a aggressive Europe, Wüst wrote on Platform X.

Adenauer and Churchill amongst first prize winners

The Charlemagne Prize was based by residents of Aachen shortly after the Second World War. It is called after Emperor Charlemagne, whose Frankish Empire stretched throughout massive elements of Western Europe within the early Middle Ages and who’s due to this fact generally known as the “Father of Europe”. Since final yr, the Charlemagne Prize has been related to prize cash of 1 million euros, donated by a pair from Aachen. This cash is meant to profit pro-European tasks.

The first winners included Chancellor Konrad Adenauer (1954) and former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1955). Last yr the prize went to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The final Italian to obtain the prize was the peace dealer and founding father of the Catholic Community of Sant’Egidio, Andrea Riccardi, in 2009.